A Midnight Visitor
by The Irish Baroness
Summary: Sakura is exhausted from a busy day at the hospital. Will a midnight visitor lift or drown her spirits?


**

* * *

**

A Midnight Visitor

_**The Irish Baroness**_

**(All Standard Disclaimers Apply)**

**

* * *

**

_It's Friday… it's midnight… and I'm exhausted. Because I, Sakura Haruno, was hanging out with friends enjoying the night life, right? WRONG. It's because I was working a particularly late shift at the hospital. That's just what I get for being the most sought after (aside from Lady Tsunade, of course) medical-nin in this village._

Feeling both physically and mentally spent, I silently opened the door to my apartment and stumbled into the darkness. Where's that light switch? _Oh here_.

I yawned as I flicked up the light switch causing glorious light to flood my apartment. I blinked, my eyes adjusting to the light, and then proceeded to my bedroom.

Ah, my bed. It looked so very inviting. The soft comforter was beckoning to me and the soft cotton sheets beneath was the remedy I needed after a tiring day at the hospital.

I ran my fingers through my short, pink hair as I walked over to my dresser. I pulled out a baggy t-shirt and a pair of boy shorts. Sure, I owned pajamas… they were lying neglected in the corner of my bedroom in the over-flowing hamper. _Great, laundry_. I'll need to do that, tomorrow.

Wordlessly, I stripped off my hospital garb and carelessly tossed them at the already bloated laundry hamper. Then I pulled on my "pajamas" and hopped into my bed.

I never realized how beautiful a bed was until it felt like my limbs were going to fall off. With not much effort, but with much welcome, sleep finally took hold of me.

What was that? My ears twitched with warning as I heard my curtains flap in the night air. I never opened my window.

_Calm down, Sakura, just don't betray any sign that you're_ _awake_. Luckily, I was lying on my side with my back to the window.

Slowly, I slid my hand under my pillow and fingered the kunai that was tucked carefully under my head. It always pays to be prepared.

_Now_! I sharply sat up and twisted myself around so I was facing the intruder. I thrust my kunai out in front of me, poised for an attack.

Perched precariously on my windowsill, crouched a ninja wearing an ANBU uniform. His face was covered with a white mask with a red design boldly painted around the eyes.

_Why's this ANBU member breaking and entering? _I grew irritated as the mysterious ninja refused to move.

"Who are you?" I demanded, not breaking my (hopefully) threatening stare.

My intruder failed to respond. _Is this guy for real?_

"Who are you?" I repeated, my voice gaining volume.

Again, the mysterious ninja refused to reply. My eyebrows drew together in frustration.

_Who is he?_ Suddenly, an ominous feeling tugged at my heart. _Do I know him? He is a member of the Leaf Village… _

Gripping my weapon tighter, I slowly slid off my bed. The masked ninja did not avert his gaze as my bare feet landed on the cold wood floor and proceeded to make their way towards him.

I stopped halfway between the window and the bed. I shock of realization coursed through my body. _Wait… he's…_ The kunai clanked loudly as it hit the hard floor.

My eyes misted over as I slowly continued towards the window and my intruder. The cold night air bit at my exposed skin and danced through my hair.

Finally, I stood a few inches from him. The moon bathed the ninja in silver light and reflected in his raven hair. Cautiously, I reached out and grasped the ninja's mask and exposed my midnight visitor.

_I knew it…_

"Sasuke," I breathed.

The stoic Uchiha chuckled softly to himself. "I was hoping you would be able to figure it out. It would be a terrible thing if a girl threw a weapon at her lover."

_He called me his lover!_

My expression grew annoyed. "Well, there wouldn't be a chance of that if said lover didn't break into the girl's house in the middle of the night and stare creepily at her while she slept, wearing," I added, holding up his ANBU mask, "A freaking mask."

Sasuke smirked. "I just thought I'd make a memorable return. I have been on a two month long mission, after all."

Tears pooled in my eyes. "Don't think I didn't know that! I've missed you so much!"

Against my will, I began to sob hysterically. Sasuke smiled softly, and hopped down off my windowsill so he could gather me in his arms.

The two of us stood bathed in a glow provided by the moon. My arms wrapped around his torso pulling him close. _I've missed him so much. _Sasuke kissed the top of my head and began to stroke my hair.

Ignoring my exhaustion, I pulled away from his embrace and tugged him over to my bed. An amused expression flashed across his face as I began to lift my baggy t-shirt over my head.

"Do you think I came here only for this?" he asked, wrapping his arms around my exposed upper body and pressing his chest against mine.

I blinked. _Isn't this what he wanted?_ "But… I…"

Sasuke said nothing as he retrieved my previously discarded shirt and tugged it back in place, covering my slim frame. _If he didn't want to… Then why is he here? _

"Please don't think that's all I see you as," he whispered, taking my face in his hands.

I looked up into his charcoal eyes. _I thought…_ I thought that _was _all I was to him.

In the beginning, we were teammates.

He was everything to me, even if I as nothing to him.

The furthest our relationship had ever gotten was teammates, comrades.

Now, at the hormonal age of eighteen, I had grown into an appealing young woman and he had grown into a handsome young man. With new appearances, came new needs. Although our nights became different, our strict relationship never changed. I was his teammate. I trained with him during the day and fulfilled his pleasures during the night.

I convinced myself that this was okay, no matter how much my heart screamed to be something different, something more.

Reading the confused expression in my eyes, he slowly leaned into me and brushed his lips against mine. A shiver shot up my spin as he reinforced the encounter with a passionate kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my thin fingers through his hair. Sasuke's hands ran up down my back as our kiss became labored due to lack of oxygen.

"You need to go to bed," he muttered against my lips.

"I'm confused," I admitted. _I thought he didn't want to…_

Sasuke chuckled. "That's not what I meant. You need to go to bed and get some _sleep_."

_What's going on?_ My expression grew serious as I pulled out of his arms and sat defiantly on my bed, my pale arms crossed across my chest. "What are you doing, Sasuke?"

"Sakura," sighed Sasuke, fatigue evident in his voice, "This isn't right. You are willing to do anything, _everything_ for me and you expect nothing in return. And this mission I was on… I almost _died_ Sakura. And then what would happen to you?"

_Is he trying to break my heart? _"I've already told you Sasuke… I love you."

Sasuke's expression softened. "I know."

"Then…"

My eyes widened when the dispassionate Uchiha descended to his knees so that he and I were eyelevel. He gathered my hands in his and brought them up to his lips.

"I came here tonight to tell you that _I love you."_

I thought my heart stopped. He had uttered the three words I've only ever heard him say in my dreams. Fresh tears blurred my vision as I tried hard not to cry.

Sasuke's expression grew loving as sobs escaped from my throat and I fell into his arms. So there I was… crying in his chest, again. My body ached from fatigue, surprise, and overall happiness.

Silently, Sasuke slid his arms under my knees and back and lifted me into my bed. I refused to release him as he gently laid me on my sheets. He chuckled at my persistence and crawled into my bed next to me.

My sobs slowed into deep breaths as we lay in my bed with my face buried in his chest and his strong arms wrapped around me.

He didn't leave before sunrise like nights before. He stayed even when the sun glared furiously through my open bedroom window.

I woke up greeted by his gentle smile and his alabaster eyes. _So I wasn't imagining last night. _

"Good morning," he mumbled, stroking my tearstained cheek.

"Good morning." _I don't think I've seen him more beautiful._

He came to me last night not wanting my body, not wanting what I could physically offer him, not wanting a temporary bliss.

He came for _me_.

He came to hold me in my arms, kiss the top of my head, and tell me three important words.

He came because he truly and whole-heartedly _loved me. _

And I let him stay because I had _always_ loved him.

Because he was my world.

And now I was his.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! I hope you like it! Please review. ^^_


End file.
